The number of children is increasing, but there is no stress.

(Baonghean)According to the plan, primary schools in Vinh City will begin enrollment from July 20th to July 31st. This year, the number of students entering first grade in Vinh City has increased, but thanks to proactive measures, the enrollment situation is not stressful.

As of now, according to reported figures, the number of children entering first grade in the 2013-2014 school year in Vinh City is 5,073, compared to the planned enrollment of 4,929, an increase of 144 children compared to the plan and an increase of 406 children compared to the 2012-2013 school year. Anticipating an increase in the number of children born in 2007, the Vinh City Department of Education and Training has directed schools to conduct thorough surveys, based on which they will develop accurate enrollment plans and prepare facilities and teachers to ensure sufficient places for first-grade students. Simultaneously, they will propose to the competent authorities to approve an increase in the number of students per class for some schools.

Parents register their children for enrollment at Le Loi Primary School.

In schools in the city center, each class has between 40 and 45 students. Specifically: Ha Huy Tap 2 Primary School has nearly 45 students/class; Hong Son Primary School: 40 students/class; Le Loi Primary School: over 40 students/class; Hung Dung 1 Primary School: 43 students/class;… For children from Hung Phuc ward, which does not have a primary school, the Vinh City Department of Education and Training, together with the ward's People's Committee, has directly worked with two schools: Hung Dung 2 Primary School and Hung Binh Primary School, to agree on a plan to admit children from the ward.


For the 2013-2014 school year, Le Loi Primary School enrolled 285 students in first grade. This included one French language class, which was permitted to enroll students from across the city. Ms. Nguyen Thi Phuong, the school principal, stated: "The number of children of first-grade age in the ward has increased this year, but not significantly, and the school is still enrolling seven first-grade classes, the same as last year. The school's policy is to prioritize enrolling all children of first-grade age in the ward."

For cases of students attending schools outside their designated catchment area, the school will explain the situation to the parents so they can enroll their children in the designated school. In special cases (parents working far away, children living with grandparents, etc.), the school will collect the application, then review it further and accept the child once approved by the relevant department, in order to facilitate the family and ensure the children's rights.

For teachers of preschools, primary schools, and secondary schools in the ward (but residing in other wards) whose children wish to enroll in the school, a proposal will be submitted to the department for permission to accept them, creating favorable conditions for the teachers in transporting their children to and from school. To prepare for the new school year, the ward People's Committee and the school have also invested nearly 600 million VND to build two additional classrooms, bringing the total number to 36, ensuring 34 classes have 34 classrooms and two extra rooms for other activities.

For a long time, Ha Huy Tap 2 Primary School (Ha Huy Tap Ward) has been a "hot spot" in terms of enrollment for the first grade. In some years, the school has had to issue its own regulations to ensure enrollment is within the designated catchment area, and during the "sensitive" enrollment season, the principal and vice-principal have to turn off their phones to avoid requests for favors from acquaintances… There are two primary schools in the ward, meeting the educational needs of the ward's children.

However, the number of students from outside the designated catchment area (other wards) applying for admission is also not small. This year, according to the universal education survey data, the number of 6-year-old children within the school's enrollment area is 269, and the number of students admitted according to the approved plan is 267. The school has now completed receiving enrollment applications from children within its catchment area.

Mr. Tran Van Phuong, the school principal, said: “Currently, the school has enrolled all 6-year-old children in the area into first grade. There are 85 applications from outside the designated catchment area. At the beginning of August, we will review the enrollment at the district office. For the applications from outside the catchment area, we will seek guidance from the department. If the department adjusts the plan and allows for more enrollment, we will accept them, as the school still has two spare classrooms and enough teachers.” Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Lan, while registering her child at Ha Huy Tap 2 Primary School, shared: “When I learned that the number of children entering first grade has increased this year, I was very worried. My house is right next to the school, so I witnessed in previous years parents having to queue to enroll their children. But this year, the school's organization is very good; parents can register and complete the procedures very quickly without having to wait.”

Compared to last year, the number of students entering first grade in Hong Son ward has slightly increased this year. According to the plan approved by the Nghe An Department of Education and Training, the number of applications for enrollment at the school will only increase to 170 applications for 140 enrollment slots. Ms. Phan Thi Hong Mai, the school principal, said: "Predicting an increase in the number of children born in the year of the Pig (2007) in the ward, the school conducted a very thorough survey before planning, knowing the exact number and making preparations in terms of facilities, teaching equipment, and teachers. Basically, the school has enough places for students from the designated catchment area; the increase is due to a portion of residents from other wards who live very close to the school (only 100 to 500 meters away). The school will report this to the department during the enrollment review process for appropriate action."

Speaking with reporters, Ms. Ngo Thi Nguyet, Deputy Head of the Education and Training Department of Vinh City, said: “This year, the department has thoroughly directed the enrollment process. Based on the number of children surveyed in the area, schools divided the enrollment days according to residential areas, thus significantly reducing the number of people coming to enroll their children on the same day, avoiding artificial stress during the registration process. From the actual implementation of first-grade enrollment in the aforementioned schools, it can be affirmed that although the number of children of first-grade age has increased, the enrollment process is not stressful.”

The allocation of enrollment quotas and admission zones based on surveys of the number of children in each area, the available facilities and teaching staff, as well as the distance children have to travel to school, has created a balance between schools and reduced the pressure on central schools. This shows that parents' awareness has improved. The tendency to blindly follow the "herd mentality," desperately trying to get their children into schools considered "high-scoring," disrupting the enrollment process, making things difficult for administrators and schools, and especially causing hardship for children due to overcrowded classrooms and long commutes to school, has gradually decreased.

Thanh Phuc